Funding Appeal Request for Lucia Morgan

On behalf of Lucia Morgan, we are launching an appeal for funds to help pay for the prohibitive costs of bringing expert witnesses to testify at her lawsuit. Lucia is suing the city of Toronto for mandating that she receive the hepatitis B vaccine in 1994. She was working as a social worker at that time. Lucia experienced severe neurological adverse reactions following her hepatitis B vaccinations and due to her extensive brain injury has been unable to work for the past twelve years.
We commend Lucia’s courage and tenacity for bringing to light the suffering that she and her loved ones have endured. “My intention in embarking on this case was to further the cause, and to prevent anyone else from suffering as I have. I hate to ask for help, but if we give up now, so much will be lost, including a chance to change things and increase public awareness.”
This is the most important precedent-setting case in Canada in the past 25 years. The trial began on March 6 and is progressing well.
The Association for Vaccine Damaged Children & VRAN- Vaccination Risk Awareness Network Inc.
Thank you for responding to this appeal.

The major issues of the lawsuit are:

• Lack of informed consent
• Failure of the authorities to report adverse reactions
• Administration of a challenge vaccine despite reported side effects
• questionable storage of the vaccine
• Reliance on the Canadian Immunization Act, while ignoring cautions in the product insert

Along with Lucia’s testimony relating her severe reactions to the hepatitis B vaccine, several other Canadians have given very moving testimonies.
Celine Gaudette, a Quebec nurse who spearheaded the investigation into the dangers of the hepatitis B vaccine in 1988 after she fell ill. Celine collected 69 names of other health care professionals who also suffered serious reactions from their hepatitis B vaccinations.
Nicole Beckstead, former Ontario nurse testified how she lost the vision in one eye following her hepatitis B immunization.
Both Nicole and Celine were forced to leave their nursing careers due to overwhelming fatigue, chronic pain, memory loss and cognitive impairments.
Paul Harris a 23 year old young man plagued with seizures since his vaccination at 12 years of age, took the stand along with his mother, Susan to describe their ordeals and lend weight to the case.
The following expert witness will also testify:

• Dr. Charles Poser of Harvard University, is a specialist in chronic fatigue syndrome. His research links hepatitis B vaccine damage to chronic fatigue-like illnesses.
• Dr. Mark Geier, New York geneticist has extensively researched severe adverse reactions to the hepatitis B vaccine and helped develop the adverse event reporting system in the United States. He has served as an expert witness in 30 successful Vaccine Compensation Board cases in the United States and made presentations to the FDA, Congress, and The American Medical Association.
• Dr. Byron Hyde of Ottawa has studied over 200 cases of serious hepatitis B vaccine reactions in Canada and has spoken about his safety concerns with this vaccine at international medical conferences. Dr. Hyde has generously donated three months of unpaid work as a medical investigator.

According to Lucia, “My lawyer’s legal firm has not billed me for the hours logged on this case. I have paid $16,000 in disbursements to date and advanced another $5000 from my credit card. I have already paid $30,000 for medical assessments and related travel costs. The American expert witnesses will cost another $25,000 in US funds. Expenses continue to accumulate with this trial. I know this cause is an important one, but at this point, I fear financial ruin.”
Update: Fundraising is no longer ongoing …
Lucia Morgan’s Story
Lawsuit News Item
Links to court decisions:
Morgan v. City of Toronto 2008 ONCA 603 (Appeal)
Morgan v. City of Toronto 2006 ONSC 41574